Last bread bows from Abner's barn in Tellico Plains, TN • In 11 active carts • 19 left
Abner's Even-Slice Bread Bow Knife
Abner's Even-Slice Bread Bow Knife
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Abner's Even-Slice Bread Bow Knife
The bread bow that saws instead of pushes — even slices, round loaves, almost no crumbs
A curved hardwood bow with a long steel blade held tight at both ends. Shaped by hand by Abner Meeks, 74, a woodworker from Tellico Plains, Tennessee, who has made bread bows every winter since 1984. Arthritis in his thumbs means these are his last 64.
“A knife pushes. A bow saws. Bread doesn’t like to be pushed. I made my first one for my grandmother when I was 15, because I couldn’t stand to watch a store knife flatten her Saturday loaf.”
Abner Meeks · Tellico Plains, Tennessee
What you get
Curved by hand, sanded smooth, warm brown finish
Wavy stainless steel edge, held at both ends
Hang it on a nail by the stove, always at hand
Test-sliced and wrapped by hand, ready to give
Why a bow cuts what a knife crushes
The blade is held tight at both ends, so it can’t bend or drift. Every slice comes out the same, top to bottom.
Almost 11 inches of blade, wider than most loaves. A few long, easy strokes and the slice is done. No pressing down.
The wavy edge grips hard crust and glides through the soft inside without tearing it. The loaf stays round.
A leather loop on the handle. Hang it up instead of tossing it in a drawer, so the blade never rattles dull.
You hold the wooden bow and handle, not a thin knife handle. A steady, comfortable grip with fingers away from the teeth.
Sourdough, rye, baguette and banana bread, but also cake, cheese and tall sandwiches.
“Most people blame their bread when the slices come out crooked or squashed. It’s almost always the knife. A regular bread knife is held at one end, so it bends and needs pressure from above, and that pressure flattens the loaf. A blade that is held at both ends simply stays straight. A bread bow is the only bread tool I keep on the wall in my own kitchen.”
Rosalyn Pike · Bakery owner · Knoxville, Tennessee
Perfect for
Why Abner’s bread bow lasts
- Hardwood bow. Shaped in one curve, so the blade sits perfectly straight.
- Stainless steel blade. Food-safe 304 steel that won’t rust.
- Wavy edge. Bites through hard crust without crushing the soft inside.
- Fixed at both ends. Nothing to tighten, nothing that works loose.
- Test-sliced. Abner cuts one slice of bread with every bow before it is wrapped.
Cut your bread with it for a few weeks. If it doesn’t earn its nail by the stove, one email to info@countycraftco.com is enough for a full refund.
Tip from Abner: The blade is very sharp, so hang the bow up or keep it in its paper. Wipe the blade and wood with a damp cloth and dry right away — no dishwasher, no soaking. A little cooking oil on the wood now and then keeps it smooth. For very tall loaves, slide the bread to the edge of the board for the last cut.
Product details
| Total length | 15.75 in (40 cm) |
| Blade | 10.8 in (27.5 cm), 304 stainless steel, wavy edge |
| Bow | Hardwood, warm brown finish, 2.75 in (7 cm) deep |
| Handle | 4.7 in (12 cm), with leather hanging loop |
| Cuts | Bread, sourdough, baguette, cake, cheese, sandwiches |
| Care | Wipe clean and dry right away; no dishwasher |
| Made by | Abner Meeks, Tellico Plains, Tennessee — last 64 remaining |
| Made so far | About 5,000 bread bows since 1984 |
The Last Bread Bows from Tellico Plains
The Last Bread Bows from Tellico Plains
A note from Abner's workshop:
In 1965, Abner Meeks was 15 and couldn't stand to watch a store knife flatten his grandmother Wilda's Saturday bread. He took a bent cherry branch from the woodpile and a broken saw blade from his grandfather's shed and made her a bread bow. She used it every Saturday for 26 years. Since 1984 Abner has shaped about 5,000 bread bows in the old barn behind his house in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, about three hours each, and he still cuts one test slice with every bow before he wraps it. Now arthritis in his thumbs won't let him hold the drawknife steady. 19 bread bows are left. When they are gone, there will be no more.
Free US Shipping
Free US Shipping
Free shipping across the United States
- Delivery time: 3–5 business days
- Every bread bow is test-sliced, wrapped in brown paper and ships from the US
- Total length 15.75 in (40 cm), blade 10.8 in (27.5 cm), bow depth 2.75 in (7 cm)
- Hardwood bow, 304 stainless steel blade with wavy edge, leather hanging loop
- Care: wipe clean with a damp cloth and dry right away (no dishwasher, no soaking)
- The blade is very sharp: hang it up or keep it in its paper
- 30-day money-back guarantee — just email info@countycraftco.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Email us anytime at info@countycraftco.com. We answer Monday–Friday 9am–5pm and Saturday 10am–3pm (ET). Whether it’s about your order, how to use your bread bow, or just to say hello — a real person writes back.
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Of course. 30-day money-back guarantee. Cut your bread with it for a few weeks, and if it isn’t right for your kitchen, email info@countycraftco.com within 30 days for a full refund. No questions, and US shipping is free.
How is it made?
How is it made?
Abner shapes each bow from one piece of hardwood with a drawknife, sands it smooth and oils it. Then the stainless steel blade is fixed tight at both ends, so it can't bend or drift. Before a bow is wrapped in brown paper, he cuts one test slice of bread with it. About three hours per bread bow, by hand in Tellico Plains, Tennessee.